Knapp Establishes Robotics and AI Development Center in Boston
By early 2027, the new team is expected to grow to between 30 and 35 employees, including about 20 software developers. The location complements the existing robotics development efforts in Graz.
Knapp is expanding its activities in robotics and artificial intelligence and has founded the company Knapprobotics.ai for this purpose. A development center is being established in the Greater Boston area, which, together with the existing location in Graz, will work on robotic solutions for warehouse automation and fulfillment. In Somerville, Massachusetts, the company is setting up its own robotics lab. By early 2027, the workforce is expected to grow to about 30 to 35 employees, including approximately 20 software developers. The team will focus on AI, computer vision, robotics, and product development.
While Graz will continue to handle robotics development and logistics expertise, the U.S. location will focus in particular on adopting new technologies and further developing them for industrial applications. Knapprobotics.ai will handle group-wide tasks ranging from product management and development to the implementation of robotics solutions. One area of focus is so-called Physical AI. Specifically, Knapp cites applications such as piece picking, bin picking, decanting, and cycle counting. The technical foundation is the Knapp Brain platform, which combines computer vision and AI with gripper positioning and motion planning, as well as functions for continuous learning.
The new company is led by Wolfgang Toferer as CEO. Christopher Reiß assumes the role of COO, and Thomas Zilk serves as Vice President. Proximity to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) also played a role in the choice of location. Knapp has been a member of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program since 2026 and is exploring further collaborations in the areas of robot learning, computer vision, autonomous systems, and simulation.
